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Nepal Adventure Tour

Enjoy an enticing introduction to Nepal, starting with a tour of the gilded Hindu temples and Buddhist stupas of the Kathmandu valley. From Pokhara we'll walk to the Peace Pagoda for panoramic views of the Annapurna range before travelling to the Newari town of Bandipur. We then explore Chitwan National Park, searching for rhino, sloth bears and leopards.

Itinerary

1

Join tour Kathmandu

Arrive Kathmandu, check into hotel.

Overnight: Comfortable HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
None

2

In Kathmandu

This morning we have arranged a walking tour visiting the bazaar and the Durbar Square area, the centre of old Kathmandu. Much of the day to day life of Kathmandu takes place in the bazaar: a fascinating mixture of people selling fruit, vegetables and spices; potters spinning their wheels to produce small household bowls and containers for temple offerings; devotees visiting their favourite gods at temples and small shrines dotted along the sides of alleyways; rickshaw wallahs honking their horns and the ever present sacred cow wandering amongst it all. In the afternoon we plan to visit the Temple of Pashupatinath on the banks of the Bagmati River, the holiest Hindu shrine in Nepal and also Bodnath, the largest stupa in the country and a destination for Buddhist pilgrims from all over Nepal.

Overnight: Comfortable HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

3

Drive to Nagarkot

In the morning we visit the almost perfectly preserved city of Bhaktapur, also known as Bhadgaun or City of the Devotees. Bhaktapur feels more like a huge medieval village with its potters wheels and its many intricate stone and wooden carvings. We then continue to our lodge at Nagarkot on the Kathmandu Valley rim. Sunset views from Nagarkot back across the valley to Kathmandu are very impressive.

Overnight: Standard HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast, Dinner

4

In Nagarkot

Thirty five kilometres east of Kathmandu and at an altitude of 2,174 m, Nagarkot stands on a ridge between the Kathmandu valley in the west and the Indrawati valley in the east. We make a pre-dawn walk from our lodge to a nearby hilltop along the ridge to catch a spectacular sunrise over the Himalayas, and then return to the lodge for a late breakfast. There are many other possibilities for short walks during the rest of the day, including visits to neighbouring farms growing crops of fruit, vegetables and grain, under the spectacular backdrop of the snow capped Himalayan peaks.

Overnight: Standard HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

5

Drive to Kurintar on the banks of the Trisuli River

We make a morning departure to drive out of the high Kathmandu valley and descend to the foothills where we overnight at the much lower altitude of about 262m. As we leave the valley, on clear days we will have views of the Ganesh, Manaslu and Annapurna ranges of the Himalaya. En route we have the option of a half-day's whitewater rafting on the Trisuli River. No previous experience required. Includes all permits, services of experienced river guides, helmet, life jacket and lunch. We recommend that you are confident swimming for at least 25 metres unaided if participating in the rafting. As the rafting finishes at the beach just below our accommodation, those who do not wish to raft may relax by the hotel pool.

Overnight: Standard HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast, Dinner

6

Visit Gorkha. Walk to local villages.

Next day we make our way to the small hill bazaar of Gorkha (1 1/2 hour's drive) where the surfaced road ends. The town which gave the feared Gurkha soldiers their name was also the place from which King Prithvi Narayan Shah set out to unify Nepal in the 18th century. A walk up to the ridge on which stands his old palace fort is well worth the climb. The view over the surrounding Annapurna and Manaslu ranges is spectacular.

Overnight: Standard HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

7

Drive to Pokhara

In the morning there is an option to visit the nearby Manakamana Temple (1302m), the sacred place of the Hindu Goddess Bhagwati, using Nepal's only cable car imported from Austria and inaugurated in 1998. Local people call the goddess the wish fulfilling deity and the temple is a popular pilgrimage site. Afterwards, we continue our journey on to Pokhara situated beside Lake Phewa Tal beneath the Annapurna range.

Overnight: Standard HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

8

In Pokhara

On our first morning in Pokhara, we take a walk through some small Gurung and Chettri settlements, to a ridge above Pokhara. From this ridge there are spectacular views of the mountains making up the Annapurna range which at this point are only 48km away - from Dhaulagiri in the west to Annapurna II in the east. The rest of the day is left free to explore the tranquil town of Pokhara, perhaps taking a boat trip on the lake, or simply sitting back and admiring the breathtaking beauty all around.

Overnight: Standard HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

9

In Pokhara

Today we'll visit the Mountain Museum housing expedition memorabilia and information on ethnic groups, flora and fauna. We'll also visit Tashiling, a long established settlement of Tibetan refugees. We spend some time here watching wool being sorted, dyed and eventually made into Tibetan carpets which are exported all over the world and then visit the village's Buddhist monastery.

Overnight: Standard HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

10

Drive to Bandipur

Leaving Pokhara we take a short drive to the hilltop town of Bandipur. After a short walking tour of the town and the bazaar there is free time to explore this traditional Nepali town. Bandipur is a small, quiet town that doesn't attract as many tourists as nearby Pokhara. There are several small temples to visit and stunning views back across the Himalaya.

Overnight: Standard HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

11

In Chitwan National Park

Today we drive from Bandipur to Chitwan National Park. Once a private hunting ground, Chitwan is now a National Park, with thick tree cover and tall elephant grass sheltering a wealth of animals, most famously the One Horned Rhino. Our lodge is located just across the Rapti River, outside the park, near the village of Baghmara. Throughout your stay you will be kept busy during the day (except for a couple of hours around lunch time) with many activities available, including elephant back safaris searching out the One-Horned Rhino, bird watching, jungle walks and drives and dugout canoe trips along the Rapti River. The elephant safari is the best (and safest) way of searching for rhinos (if you see one you will be lucky!) and other game in the park. Although the elephant may make quite a noise pushing its way through the dense jungle the other animals know that it poses them no danger and seem to completely ignore it. Canoeing will be dependent on the water level, floating silently down the Rapti River in a traditional dugout canoe gives us the opportunity to spot many varieties of water birds. On a nature walk in the company of trained native naturalists you can walk along trails in the less densely forested parts of the park. An early morning bird watching walk near the river will reveal many of the 450 bird species that can be found in the park, especially kingfisher. A trained naturalist will help you get the best enjoyment and interest from these excursions.

Overnight: Standard LodgeSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

12

In Chitwan National Park

Today we continue our exploration of Chitwan National Park.

Overnight: Standard LodgeSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

13

Drive to Kathmandu

We drive back to Kathmandu. The total driving time is approximately 5 to 6 hours.

Overnight: Comfortable HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

14

In Kathmandu

Today is left free to explore Kathmandu. There is the option to visit Swayambunath. Perched on a hilltop, the stupa is known as the monkey temple because of its resident group of very inquisitive monkeys.

Overnight: Comfortable HotelSingle Room Available

Included Meals:
Breakfast

15

Tour ends Kathmandu

Tour notes

Each departure date has it's own dedicated tour note, detailing all you need to know about that tour. Whether you've already booked, or weighing up your options, please choose carefully the relevant itinerary for you.

We have the following different versions of the Discover Nepal tour available at present.

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Why Book this tour

Ideal for anyone wanting to see the best of Nepal, this tour mixes culture and busy cities with gentle walking and the chance to try out white water rafting. Days are packed with new experiences but also with plenty of time to get to know the incredibly friendly locals and relax and enjoy views of the Himalaya.